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field of flowers

Rewild your Life

Supporting nature today,
to make tomorrow more resilient

In many ways nature does lots of things better than we ever could. What is empowering to know is that there are things we can all do to prioritise natural solutions for our global environmental challenges. Rewilding is another powerful way to support nature, in which companies, like humans, can also take an active role in preserving our planet. In Zurich we believe by supporting nature today, we can make tomorrow more resilient. Get inspired by Zurich’s rewilding actions and discover how you can actively support nature and rewild your life with useful everyday tips.

The power of the butterfly effect

Content created by National Geographic CreativeWorks

Zurich is working with National Geographic CreativeWorks to produce content exploring how small but mighty actions of rewilding can ladder up to massive change. Through different examples of ‘’butterfly effects’’ we can see how individuals can have a positive impact in the preservation of our planet.

The first ‘’butterfly effect’’ example starts with planting a dandelion in a garden in Germany and how this can help hold back floods in Malaysia through a chain of positive impacts. Another example is how Zurich, together with Instituto Terra, is supporting the planting of new seedlings– leading to more fauna and new jobs for local communities.

‘’How a dandelion holds back a flood‘’

Find out more

men planting

Discover the Zurich Forest Project

Working with Instituto Terra, a Brazil-based non-profit, Zurich is helping bring back to life a part of one of the greatest forests on earth.

Find out more

Benefits of rewilding in everyday life

To inspire and demonstrate how single acts of rewilding can have a positive impact even in our everyday lives, we chose two areas related to insurance and dear to Zurich; Wellbeing and Home. We invite you to Go Wild and explore how you can create another butterfly effect in your home or for your wellbeing.

  • Rewild yourself

  • Rewild your garden

Six ways to rewild your life and support nature

Rewilding benefits your garden’s soil and ecosystem, and the insects, birds and animals that depend on it. Here are some tips to help nature take care of itself.

picto trees

1. Cut back on the mowing
If you cut your lawn every week, think about mowing it once a month or less. Constant mowing stops flowers from blooming and seeds from forming, and it also affects the insects and birds that need it for shelter and food. Tall grass copes better with dry summers and wet winters.

picto caring nature

2. Let the weeds grow
If you really want to rewild your garden, leave those nettles and thistles alone. Allowing weeds to grow provides a habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators. Consider including wildflowers in your flower beds and borders too. They provide large amounts of nectar and pollen for insects and the natural enemies of many pests.

picto trees

3. Look after the soil
Healthy soil teems with billions of microscopic fungi, bacteria and insects. When you reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and weedkillers, you allow these organisms to thrive and contribute to the growth of native plants. Composting offers another way to improve the quality of your soil.

picto stop

4. Let it be
If piles of wood and leaves are left to rot in your garden, they offer a habitat for birds, invertebrates, small mammals, moss and fungi. By protecting the soil from exposure to direct sunlight, they help prevent it drying out. And when rotting, they provide organic matter which is a sustainable source of compost.

picto camping

5. Make a home for wildlife
If you want to see more birds, insects and small mammals, make a space for them. A few bird feeders and boxes as well as a shallow bird bath will attract different bird species. Log piles or rocks, bug hotels and piles of sticks provide shelters for insects. You could also add a hedgehog hut. And if you don’t have room for a pond, a small container with some aquatic plants is an option if it has at least one sloping side for access.

picto zurich forest

6. Connect the plots
Hedgehogs roam a mile each night looking for food and mates but garden walls and fences restrict their movements. You can help these creatures move freely and safely by cutting small holes in fences and walls. Predators can easily spot small mammals on short grass, pathways and concreted areas so leaving your grass tall, planting hedges and creating passageways using hollow logs or rocks also boost their chances of survival.

Read the article

Learn about Zurich’s sustainability framework

Sustainability is key to Zurich’s long-term success and our ambition is to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world. As we continue our sustainability journey, we want to target three focus areas: Planet, Customers and People. We will continue to use the levers we have as a global insurer to make a positive impact in the world.

These three focus areas are intertwined. Innovative underwriting and claims solutions offer positive results for customers that can also benefit people and the planet. Through responsible investment, we can grow the positive impact of our invested assets. Strategic community investment by the *Z Zurich Foundation helps build a brighter future for the most vulnerable.

We will continue to use technology, innovation, learning, partnerships, and governance to bring this to life. Every part of Zurich has a role to play.

Check the links below to find out more about each focus area:

sustainability illustration

*The Z Zurich Foundation is a Swiss-based charitable foundation established by members of the Zurich Insurance Group. It is the main vehicle by which Zurich Insurance Group delivers on its global community investment strategy.

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